Death toll rises to 26 after tornadoes sweep across the South and the Midwest (2024)

Damage from a late-night tornado is seen in Sullivan, Ind., Saturday. Multiple deaths were reported in the area following the storm. Doug McSchooler/AP hide caption

toggle caption

Doug McSchooler/AP

Death toll rises to 26 after tornadoes sweep across the South and the Midwest (2)

Damage from a late-night tornado is seen in Sullivan, Ind., Saturday. Multiple deaths were reported in the area following the storm.

Doug McSchooler/AP

At least 26 people were killed after a powerful storm system barreled through large swaths of the South and Midwest on Friday.

The series of grueling tornadoes come just a week after a rare, long-lasting twister left 25 people dead in western Mississippi and one person in Alabama.

In Tennessee, nine people died in McNairy County, near the Mississippi border, following severe weather, according to The Associated Press.

National

Mississippi and Alabama face a painful recovery after storms and a tornado killed 26

"The damage and loss that our community suffered last night was catastrophic," the Adamsville Police Department in McNairy County said on social media Saturday.

In Covington, Tenn., the local police department said the city was "impassable" in the wake of a tornado. Homes were battered, power lines were downed and search and rescue teams were deployed, according to police.

Homes damaged by a tornado are seen on Friday in Little Rock, Ark. Tornadoes damaged hundreds of homes and buildings Friday afternoon across a large part of Central Arkansas. Benjamin Krain/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption

Benjamin Krain/Getty Images

Death toll rises to 26 after tornadoes sweep across the South and the Midwest (5)

Homes damaged by a tornado are seen on Friday in Little Rock, Ark. Tornadoes damaged hundreds of homes and buildings Friday afternoon across a large part of Central Arkansas.

Benjamin Krain/Getty Images

In Arkansas, multiple tornadoes tore through the state, along with severe thunderstorms and golf ball-size hail. Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders declared a state of emergency and activated 100 members of the state's National Guard in response to the deadly weather.

At least four people died and dozens more were injured in the city of Wynne in east Arkansas, Cross County Coroner Eli Long told KAIT-TV.

In Little Rock, at least one person was killed and two dozen were hospitalized, local officials said. Homes, apartment complexes and storefronts were severely damaged, according to the Little Rock Police Department.

"As dawn breaks we start the long process of recovery and rebuilding," the city's mayor, Frank Scott Jr., wrote on Twitter Saturday morning.

Emergency responders rest after helping residents evacuate an apartment complex Friday in Little Rock. Benjamin Krain/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption

Benjamin Krain/Getty Images

Death toll rises to 26 after tornadoes sweep across the South and the Midwest (7)

Emergency responders rest after helping residents evacuate an apartment complex Friday in Little Rock.

Benjamin Krain/Getty Images

A series of storms that included a tornado and baseball-size hail also brought devastation to Illinois. In Belvidere, a city northwest of Chicago, one person died and 28 were injured after the roof of the Apollo Theatre caved in.

About 260 people were at the venue to attend a heavy metal concert and calls about a collapse began to come in at 7:48 p.m. local time, Belvidere Fire Chief Shawn Schadle told the AP.

In Crawford County, Ill., near the Indiana border, three people were killed and eight more were injured, county Board Chair Bill Burke told the AP on Saturday.

The remains of an apartment complex damaged by a tornado are seen on Friday in Little Rock. Benjamin Krain/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption

Benjamin Krain/Getty Images

Death toll rises to 26 after tornadoes sweep across the South and the Midwest (9)

The remains of an apartment complex damaged by a tornado are seen on Friday in Little Rock.

Benjamin Krain/Getty Images

In Indiana's Sullivan County, three people were dead after a tornado charged through, the AP reported.

"Our worst fears became a reality earlier when we learned that members of our community have lost their lives," Sullivan County Sheriff Jason Bobbitt said on Saturday.

One elderly woman was killed in Madison County in northern Alabama after a tornado struck her home, County Coroner Dr. Tyler Berryhill told NPR.

The damaged remains of the Walnut Ridge neighborhood in Little Rock on Friday. Benjamin Krain/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption

Benjamin Krain/Getty Images

Death toll rises to 26 after tornadoes sweep across the South and the Midwest (11)

The damaged remains of the Walnut Ridge neighborhood in Little Rock on Friday.

Benjamin Krain/Getty Images

At least one person has died and four others were injured in Pontotoc County in northern Mississippi due to severe weather, according to the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency.

Climate

Warming-fueled supercells will hit the southern U.S. more often, a study warns

Climate

The exact link between tornadoes and climate change is hard to draw. Here's why

More than 559,000 customers in Indiana, Illinois, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin were without power as of Saturday afternoon, according to Poweroutage.us, which tracks outages.

Death toll rises to 26 after tornadoes sweep across the South and the Midwest (2024)

FAQs

Where was the tornado that killed 26 people? ›

A rare, long-track tornado left a trail of devastation across western Mississippi on Friday night — killing at least 25 people, tearing buildings and leaving thousands of homes without power. At least one person also died in storms in Alabama. "This is a horrific event," Mississippi Gov.

What is the deadliest tornado in U.S. history? ›

1. The Tri-State Tornado. On March 18, 1925, the deadliest single tornado in the history of the United States occurred. The enormous storm affected people in Missouri, Illinois and Indiana, hence the name.

How many people have died from tornadoes? ›

During a typical year, the National Weather Service reports 71 people are killed by tornadoes – an average that has seen drastic declines over the last several decades. A dozen states reported tornado fatalities in 2023, with the highest concentration of impacted communities being in the southern U.S.

How many people were killed in the Tri State tornado? ›

The storm completely destroyed a number of towns and caused 695 deaths. The tornado materialized about 1:00 pm local time in Ellington, Missouri.

Which tornado killed the most people? ›

Deadliest single tornado in US history

The Tri-State tornado of March 18, 1925, killed 695 people in Missouri (11), Illinois (613), and Indiana (71). The outbreak it occurred with was also the deadliest known tornado outbreak, with a combined death toll of 747 across the Mississippi River Valley.

Where was the longest tornado? ›

Tornado: Longest-Lasting/Greatest Distance Traveled Single Tornado
Record Value352.4 km (219 mi.) / 3 ½ hours duration
Date of Event18/3/1925
Geospatial LocationEllington, Missouri to Princeton Indiana

Could there be an F6 tornado? ›

So, long story short: While (E)F6 tornadoes may not be impossible, and the categorization does theoretically exist... in practicality, there is no need for such a value, as the damage would be complete whether in an (E)F5 or (E)F6+. No. The highest is the EF5.

Has there ever been a F6 tornado? ›

In total, two tornadoes received the rating of F6, but both were later downgraded to F5. Based on aerial photographs of the damage it caused, Fujita assigned the strongest tornado of the 1974 Super Outbreak, which affected Xenia, Ohio, a preliminary rating of F6 intensity ± 1 scale.

What was the fastest tornado? ›

Doppler radars can give some remotely sensed wind speeds although these are not always accurate. Despite this, on 3 May 1999, a tornado in Oklahoma was measured to reach 302 mph, the highest winds ever found on the Earth's surface.

How many tornadoes in 2024? ›

There have been at least 37 confirmed tornadoes ranging from EF-0 to EF-3, and that number could continue to rise as survey teams from the National Weather Service are still out in full force looking at the damage left behind.

What are 5 facts about tornadoes? ›

Interesting facts about tornadoes
  • Tornadoes can form in any month of the year, not just during “tornado season” ...
  • The United States sees an average of 1,000 tornadoes each year. ...
  • Tornadoes can have wind speeds upwards of 300 miles per hour. ...
  • Tornadoes can form from both supercell and non-supercell thunderstorms.
May 8, 2023

Has anyone ever lived in a tornado? ›

Yes, a man was swept up by a tornado, thrown 1,307 feet and survived. Here are the details. Missouri – Matt Suter was 19 years old when he had an experience that he will never forget. He survived after being swept up inside a tornado.

What was the longest tornado? ›

The longest tornado path length travelled at least 352 km (218 mi) through the US states of Missouri, Illinois and Indiana, on 18 March 1925. On 18 March 1925 a tornado travelled at least 352 km through the US states of Missouri, Illinois and Indiana.

What is the largest tornado in the world? ›

The deadliest: The Tri-State Tornado (March 8, 1925)

The tornado was approximately . 75 miles wide and traveled a staggering 219 (newer research suggests it had a continual path of at least 174 miles) at a 59 mph pace. It caused 695 fatalities and destroyed more than 15,000 homes.

What was the largest tornado in history? ›

1. Tri-state Tornado
  • Date: March 18, 1925.
  • Fujita scale intensity: F5.
  • Dead: 689.
  • Injured: More than 2,000.
  • Damage: Over $2 billion (2020 values)

How many people died in the 1953 tornado? ›

In all, there were 523 tornado-related fatalities in the US alone in 1953, the most since 1925. This high a death toll would not be repeated until 2011. There were 5,131 injuries recorded throughout the year as well.

How many people died in the 1985 tornado? ›

The devastating tornado outbreak of May 31, 1985 was responsible for 88 deaths, and over $200 million in damage. What caused these deadly storms? What can we learn from the experience? that swept across the eastern third of the United States.

How many people died in the 1974 tornado? ›

1974 was exceptionally above average with a record number of seven F5 tornadoes in one year. 366 deaths occurred and almost 7,000 injuries occurred. The worst tornado outbreak of the record-breaking year was the Super Outbreak, which spawned all seven F5 tornadoes.

How many people died in the Beecher tornado of 1953? ›

Introduction. One of the nation's most devastating natural disasters occurred in the Flint, Michigan's Beecher district on Monday, June 8th, 1953, resulting in 116 deaths and injuring 844. To date, this F5 intensity tornado was the last one in the United States to result in over 100 fatalities.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Rev. Leonie Wyman

Last Updated:

Views: 6388

Rating: 4.9 / 5 (59 voted)

Reviews: 90% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Rev. Leonie Wyman

Birthday: 1993-07-01

Address: Suite 763 6272 Lang Bypass, New Xochitlport, VT 72704-3308

Phone: +22014484519944

Job: Banking Officer

Hobby: Sailing, Gaming, Basketball, Calligraphy, Mycology, Astronomy, Juggling

Introduction: My name is Rev. Leonie Wyman, I am a colorful, tasty, splendid, fair, witty, gorgeous, splendid person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.